Wonderfully complex smoke! Initial notes of citrus and floral. Also tasted of cashews, almonds, creaminess (in smoke and flavor), bready, malty, caramel, and cedar, along with dried plum, white pepper, and ginger in the retrohale. I enjoyed this from light up to 0.5” nub. Full review forthcoming once I get my hands on a robusto or toro vitola. Easily one of the best cigars I’ve ever smoked.
Nice chocolate brown wrapper. The cigar had a foot band for extra protection, which is always appreciated. The “Nuance” is a line of infused cigars and this one smelled of coffee and chocolate. It also had a sweetened cap, which I wasn’t expecting. After a straight cut and light up, I got flavor notes of coffee with cream, and chocolate. Tons of smoke. The retrohale had no pepper, but did have general baking spices. Burn line was sharp. 1st third’s tasting notes: Vanilla plus coffee. Clove came out on the retrohale. Mild strength and flavors. Very aromatic. 2nd third: smooth flavors continued. Not complex. Ash held tight. Final third: tobacco showed up with 1.5” left. Coffee and caramel on retro. Unfortunately the good burn canoed. Overall this was pleasant, but just okay.
Over the last several cigars, I’ve found myself a fan of AJ’s work. This was my first figurado of his, but I had no qualms about trying it and expecting excellence. To start, the wrapper looked nice. It was a rich, dark brown, maduro wrapper. Like other AJs, this one was box pressed, and I usually enjoy a good box pressed cigar. I also appreciate a foot band, and this stick had a decent one. It smelled of barnyard and coffee once it was out of the cellophane. For most of the figurados I smoke, I typically V cut, and this was no different. Cap held up nicely. Upon light up I got notes of toasted wood (oak), cedar, dark coffee, and dark chocolate, with black pepper and cocoa on the retrohale. The draw was okay, but I found it to be a little too loose. The ash was initially bright and non-flaky. Getting into the first third and the burn started to get wavy. All the same, the flavor notes were a good amount of dark chocolate and charred wood. A new note popped up of wheat bread, but the darker, more robust flavors were still most prominent. Then the ash started to flake and before long the burn canoed. Around the end of the first third, the flavors mellowed and blended better. In the second third I noticed middle strength, but bold flavors. It was also at this point that I realized that the finish wasn’t long, or at least not as long as I wanted. That, and it was smoking fast, probably because of loose draw. At that point, the dominant flavors were earth and leather, and it didn’t change very much. Once the burn reached the wrapper, it came off easy. Toward the end of the third the spice kicked up and the strength did too. The retrohale notes stayed the same. For all of the burn issues that occurred, I will say they each corrected on their own. The final third had the same flavor notes plus floral and citrus. That was interesting. They weren’t obvious, but they were noticeable. The tobacco dominant notes came through with an inch left on the stick, but it was not bitter. Overall, this was a good cigar, but oddly enough it’s my least favorite of AJ’s.
My affinity for J. C. Newman cigars starts at this line of smokes. I’m a fan of the shade version of these, so I was curious to see how the Maduro fared. The appearance is great. The band has nice, fancy touches. The cap is neat, complex, and well-set. Not much mottling, and only a couple of stray veins. The wrapper is a good chocolate color and has scents of cocoa, coffee, and hay. The foot smells of sweet tobacco and hay as well. This stick was firm with a little give, implying a good construction even with the box press. The cap held up nicely to my double guillotine cut, and the cold draw gave notes of wheat bread without much else. The draw itself was excellent. After lighting, the first flavor notes I got were milk chocolate and buttery minerals. The retrohale gave copious black pepper and cream. It’s an excellent start. Foot smoke is nicely aromatic. The only knock I gave it was a canoe on the initial burn. It required touching up. After that it burned fairly evenly. The second third was pleasant without much change in flavor notes. The pepper calmed down though. The band resisted coming off, but I was able to coax it. None of the wrapper came off with it. The final third didn’t have many changes either, save for the cocoa turning into more of a dark chocolate. Finished with less than inch left. Very good smoke overall. Plenty of smoke throughout. Flavors and strength started medium and stayed that way. I think I might like this more than the shade version.
My stick was a little on the soft side, but it wasn’t anything to be worried about. The appearance is what you’d expect from a Connecticut in this price range. Not too many veins, but some. A little mottling. Box press is soft, but noticeable. Scent off the wrapper is cocoa, wheat, and barnyard. Unlit foot gives tobacco and cedar. The cap is fancy and set deeply, withstood double straight cut. Cold draw gives wheat and honey. Light up is easy. First flavor notes are toast, cedar, mineral, and a dried fruit of some sort. Black pepper and walnut on the retrohale. Draw is a little on the loose side. PLENTY of thick smoke. Ash is solid and light gray, and holds on well. Principal flavor is buttered toast with just a hint of jam through the first third. The burn canoed, but I gave it chance to fix itself and it did nicely. Into the second third and the notes don’t change much. I thought I’d gotten a taste of cream off of this before, but this time around it didn’t peek out until midway through the stick. The pepper showed itself on the palate, not just the retrohale in the second third. Strength at this point is a mild-plus bordering on medium. The band came off well, but it took a little off the wrapper with it. Oddly enough, it wasn’t where the band was glued together. At the end of the second third, a floral note is noticeable. The final third also brings ash as a flavor note. Smoked down to a half inch. Overall a decent smoke, if not slightly inconsistent from one cigar to the next.
Appearance is great. I love the red foot band. The logo band could be smaller, but I get the marketing. The cigar’s wrapper is an oily, toothy maduro with a few veins, but nothing to be concerned about. Scent off the wrapper and foot are standard coffee, hay, and some barnyard. Cap is deep and well cut and set. Cigar is tight and withstood straight cuts (plural) well. Draw is great, and light up is easy. Toasted flavors on first light up for me were leather, dark coffee, toasted chestnut, and black pepper. Retrohale brought me cayenne pepper, a touch of dark chocolate, and more leather. Careful with your sinuses. Flavors are very robust and the stick punches well above its weight/price class. Early ash is bright white and holds on tight. Not flaky at all. Burn line is razor sharp. Into the first third and cedar makes its debut amongst the other woody, nutty, strong coffee flavors. Chocolate also becomes more prominent on the palate. Strength kicks in as well. I would not suggest smoking these on an empty stomach. I’m reminded of a Padron cigar. Towards the end of the first third the burn started to wave up, but not canoe. The connecticut broadleaf wrapper imparts a bit of creaminess to the smoke. It’s most noticeable on the retrohale, though, not the palate. Into the second third and the ash finally fell off. Foot smoke is decent, but not exactly aromatic. Barnyard as a pleasant note came around, along with a fruit note of maybe plum, and definitely an earthiness. Despite the size of the band, it came off very easy with warmth. The final third brought the sweet tobacco flavor, but also some anise. This is a wonderfully complex and changing smoke. The strength intensifies as well. The finish was long and enjoyable throughout. A slow smoke due to strength and slow burn. This was a great stick and the price is unbeatable. Highly recommend this one.
TL;DR - Oaky, chocolate, tobacco, bread.
Chocolate and cinnamon notes come off the unlit wrapper. The cold draw has bready notes of wheat and baking spices. Initial light up is mostly tobacco some hints of coffee and a touch of leather. Lots of smoke and a decent burn. Wrapper imparts natural, chocolatey sweetness through the first third. The foot put off a lot of smoke at first. Very little bitterness to begin with, and foot scent isn’t off-putting. Ash holds well. Second third finds no flavor changes, but what is present intensifies. Flavors and strength (nicotine) is medium. Final third adds earth and ash to the bready note. Foot smoke turns ever so slightly foul revealing the cheaper side of this cigar. Ash still holds well, though. Bitterness shows up at the end. Power through it to get a taste of anise in the end. Overall a GREAT smoke for the money, and this will be a regular fixture in my humidor.
